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The House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday at 1000 hours. - File photo

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Monday protested the oil price hike, demanding it withdrawal and revival of a parliamentary committee, binding the government to hold consultation prior to increasing prices.

Speaking on a point of order, MQM's Abdul Kadir Khanzada said petrol prices has been increased unjustifiably in recent months affecting the common man as well as the business community.

He said a House committee was formed proposing that the body would be consulted prior to increasing the oil price hike but its role is yet absent.

Later, the MQM staged walkout in protest against non-consultation with the parliamentary body and increase in oil prices.

Ahsan Iqbal suggested the MQM to dissociate from the government as mere walking out of House against oil price hike would not work.

He said the inflation has badly affected the growth rate.

Demanding the withdrawal of recent price hike, he said the farmers of South Punjab were in protest against the doubling of electricity price hike for tube wells.

He said different ethnic and political groups were active in Karachi for extortion and people of Hazara community were being target-killed in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan.

He reiterated his demand to withdraw oil price hike, electricity charges for tube wells, exposing the elements indulged in extortion, target-killings in Balochistan and later staged walkout of the House in protest.

PML's Nausheen Saeed demanded the immediate release of Rimsha, a Christian girl facing blasphemy charges in Islamabad after the conspiracy has been unveiled and sought exemplary punishment for the accuser for maligning the country.

She said the word 'minority' should not be used rather the community be called as Non-Muslims.

In response, Syed Naveed Qamar said the government has no control over international market and the local prices of oil, gold and other commodities go up and down in proportionate to the international prices.

Regarding law and order situation, he said the House Business Advisory Committee has already decided to hold debate on the issue.

Later, Interior Minister Rehman Malik moved a motion to hold debate on law and order situation in the country, asking the chair to allow him in-camera briefing on law and order as well as Rimsha issue.

Meanwhile, PML-N's Saud Majeed pointed out no-quorum but the move was thwarted by the ruling party by managing required number of members in the House.

Prince Mohiyuddin said PIA flights irregularly operate between Islamabad and Chitral making the people particularly the students and job-holders suffer because people avoid traveling on road owing to threats posed by glaciers on the way.

He demanded the government to restore Chitral as independent state so that it could accede with any other government.

Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah moved a motion to discuss law and order situation.

Pir Haider Ali Shah from Fata also walked out of the House against the oil price hike.

MQM's Wasim Akhtar said if the government has come to know the conspiracy behind Rimsha issue, why the girl was not being released.

In response, Rehman Malik said FIR has been registered against Rimsha so the course of law is required to be adopted for her release.

Hameedullah Jan Afridi said efficient civil service officers should be deployed in Balochistan to bring the area at par with developed areas and social uplift of the people.

He sought ruling from the chair to allow the federal government officers in Balochistan and Fata more than the allowed period as had also been desired by Fata authorities.

Later, the House was adjourned to meet again on Tuesday at 1000 hours.